


Lollipops and Training Pants

by DamnGina



Category: Captain America (Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Child, DNA Tests, Eventual HEA, F/M, Nosy Steeb Rogers, Stoopid Steve, Unprotected Sex, darcy is a mom
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-01
Updated: 2020-02-24
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:01:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22513663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DamnGina/pseuds/DamnGina
Summary: Darcy's one-night-stand 3 years ago left her a single mom. Pepper Potts wants to make her life easier and offers her a spot in the Tower. Steve, he thinks he sees someone in the child's features and sets out to investigate. No matter how sticky the situation could be.
Relationships: Past Bucky/Darcy, WinterShock's reunion
Comments: 38
Kudos: 200





	1. Chapter 1

“I you need anything,else, Darcy, come straight to me. We can accomodate. You shouldn’t have to leave your child in the care of strangers. Tony didn’t even mention you needed daycare when you were hired last year. You shouldn’t have to spend that much of your pay just so Ainsley has someone watching over her.”

Pepper Potts stroked the little girl’s chubby cheek. No one around here ever told her anything. Darcy had been hired last year as a P.A. for Tony since he seemed to like the girl and no one has mentioned that she had a child or that the child was in a $450 a week daycare center. Darcy was essentially paying for the honor to go to work. 

Darcy held tight to her daughter’s hand, “Miss Potts, you don’t have to go out of your way on my account.”

“Nonsense. Without you, he’d have burnt the building down by now. Besides, having her close will take some of the stress off of you. Three year olds are not exactly easy. Why don’t you both just move in here. I can give you a suite. Then no more commutes, cab fair, worrying. I can have your apartment packed right now.”

“No, you don’t have to go to any trouble for me, I’m nobody. Heroes live here.”

“Would you believe me if I said you were my hero? No one handles Tony Stark like you do. At least think about it?”

“These guys don’t want a kid running around here……”

Pepper cut her off, “Steve, can you come here for a moment?”

Steve Rogers all but skipped over as he joined them, “Yes Ma’am, uh, Ma’ams?”

“Darcy Lewis, meet Steve Rogers…..”

Darcy’s mouth hung open, “C-c-cCaptain America.”

Steve blushed pink, “Just Steve when I’m off duty, ma’am.”

“Sure, sure, Steve listen. Darcy works with Tony. She keeps him functioning as a human” Pepper pointed to the little girl “And that’s Ainsley, her daughter. Darcy seems to have convinced herself that there is no place for them here.”

“What? Why? This is the safest building in the city” Steve knelt down to shake the little girl’s hand and noticed something right away. Those eyes, he knew those eyes. They were the eyes of his best friend. The same best friend who was currently getting his arm worked on by Tony, 

“She cries a lot and you guys need your rest. She runs around and gets underfoot. I’m better off where I am.”

Pepper scoffed, “Darcy you pay 1350 a month for a 300sqft shoebox. Here you’d have as big of a space as you need, help when you get overwhelmed and access to some of the best doctors.”

Steve nodded, “And 5 or so Avengers who would benefit greatly from having a pretty little lady around to spoil.”

“But you guys are so busy and….”

“Darcy, think about it overnight, no one is forcing you. We just want you to know, you have the option. For now, let me walk her to the nursery so you can stop Tony from blowing up Mr. Barnes arm,” Pepper picked up Ainsley and carefully placed the child on her hip.

“I can take her if you want. Wanna show her to Bucky. He adores kids,” Steve offered.

Darcy looked at him with blatant disbelief, “Bucky Barnes likes kids?”

“Loves ‘em. Always wanted tons but, well, Hydra. I’ll guard her with my life. Will her dad be coming along, too?”

Darcy shook her head and bit her lip as Pepper slapped his arm, “We don’t talk about that.”

“Why? A kid’s Pa is important.”

Darcy scrunched her nose, “He’s not involved. He doesn’t know about her and he’ll never meet her so there’s nothing to worry about.”

  
  


“You saying some guy got you in trouble and left?”

“I’m saying he left before I even knew I was in ‘trouble’, it was a drunken mistake.”

Stay put a hand on her shoulder, “No need to explain. Some guys , I’m sorry,Miss Lewis.”

“It’s fine. Uh, so, if you want to show her around before you take her to the nursery, that would be cool. I know Pepper is busy.”

Pepper winked at Steve, “I do have a lot to do,” she handed the little girl off and Ainsley reached out for his lip, tugging on it.

“Sorry, she has a thing for lips,”,Darcy said, gently pushing the girl’s hand away from his mouth. He laughed and told her it was fine. The kid was adorable.

“Come on princess, we're going to look around this great big tower,” Steve walked away smiling. Once he was out of ear shot, he looked at her up close, “And possibly meet your daddy.” 

Ainsley’s eyes lit up, “Daddy!”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy moves in.

"Are you really telling me that my state-of-the art, high-tech, multi-million dollar tower might not be safe enough for your spawn, Lewis? I'm offended, truly offended."

"Tony, it's not like that and you know it. You guys save the world. The last thing you need is a crying kid disrupting the peace."

"LEWIS! Come,on. You work here,you see how these guys are. Ainsley is probably the most well behaved out of all of them. If you won't take the apartment for you, do it for me. I worry about you out there in the burroughs."

"Miss Lewis, I have been asked by Nadia in staff services to inform you that your daughter was never brought to the nursery," Tony's AI, FRIDAY called through the room.

Darcy was about to panic but Tony held out his hand, "FRIDAY, where is Ainsley?"

"Young Miss Lewis is in the common room with Captain Rogers, Agent Romanov and Prince Thor. They are building a tower out of blocks Captain Rogers purchased earlier."

Darcy rolled her eyes and followed Tony to see what was going on. When they got to the entrance, Tony help her back so they could watch. Seeing the three Avengers playing with the little girl brought a tear to her eyes.

"Okay, princess. Do it again. Nat, make sure you record it for Darcy."

Ainsley gave a happy giggle and charged at the foam blocks, "Ainswy, smash!"

Natasha picked the girl up and swung her around, "Such a strong little Hulk, aren't you mishka?"

Ainsley flexed her arm muscles and the three adults laughed. Ainsley laid her head on Nat's shoulder,"Sweepy."

"The Princess has worn herself out, perhaps we should now turn her over to her designated care-givers?," Thor questioned.

Tony chose then to interrupt, "Ya think so?"

The trio turned to look at Tony and Darcy. Steve turned pink as Darcy stared him down, "Sorry, Darcy we lost track of time playing."

Darcy fixed her best mom face in place, "I see what's going here. You kept my daughter out of daycare so you'd have an excuse to play with blocks", She crossed the room and picked up her child, "Did you teach Rogers how to play? Mr. Stick -in -his butt have a good time?"

Ainsley nodded, "Daddy!"

Darcy looked at the faces around her and took her child and left the room. She had a knot in her chest and catching her breath was hard. Why did this shit always happen to her?

* * *

Tony lit into the three heros. He had been so close to convincing Darcy to move in and Stevie Blunder messed it up. It was fine. He was Tony Stark, he could fix anything.

"Thor, go check on her. Romanov, call housing services and tell them to get that two-bedroom suite in order. Rogers,next time, the kid stays with daycare staff unless Lewis specifically asks for you to take the kid and for fucks sake, no one say the D-word around the kid anymore. Lewis is ashamed enough."

Tony left the room and Natasha looked Steve right in the eye, "Something you want to tell me?"

"Like what?"

"That perhaps you discovered that Yasha has a child. You can see it in the girl's features. My question is, what are you going to say when the inevitable happens? She moves in, runs into Barnes, even though he does his best to avoid people and the explosion happens?"

"I didn't give it any thought, actually."

"Of course not."

* * *

“Lady Darcy,all will be well. You are a fine warrior and more than capable of raising Princess Ainsley on your own. Do not weep for the lack of a father figure. You have all of us, we will step in anytime you need the influence of a man.”

“It’s not just that. Ever since this morning, every time Rogers looks my way, I feel dirty. Like I’m a slut who’s done something wrong and I hate it, just hate it,” she buried her face in Thor’s chest and sobbed.

“I assure you, the Captain thinks no such thing. He even said he was honored you allowed him to play with your daughter. He loves children. She is a special child, Lady Darcy.”

  
  


Tony found them and clapped his hands, “Lewis,you’re moving in right? Please say you are?”

Darcy sighed. The help would be nice. Getting a break would be even better. Okay, she could do this, Fine, but on one condition.”

“Name it and it’s yours,” Tony would give her whatever she wanted.

“No more explosions.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soothing the savage soldier

Darcy Lewis sat at her desk with the boxes of files Tony Stark asked her to digitalize. He,himself, had upgraded her security clearance to Level 8 just so she could handle the documents. Everything Howard Stark had on Steve Rogers was in the files as well as the documents Natasha Romanov had taken from a HYDRA base. In those papers was lists of every experiment performed on The Asset, The Winter Soldier. Bucky Barnes. 

Darcy decided she would start with Stark’s files on Steve. She felt like she was prying into his past but Tony wanted it done. He claimed paper copies weren’t safe and he wanted the data saved to his cloud server. Sir, yes, sir. 

He was a weakling, weighing ninety-eight pounds. He had a laundry list of health problems but still tried five times to join the army. His last attempt at the Future conference was where Erskine found him. The good doctor had been impressed with Stubborn Steve and his good heart. Huh, penicillin before the serum? There was so much data to enter between good old Howie’s personal notes and the actual scientists data that her fingers were aching three hours later.

“Tony, is that apartment you’re letting me use,done yet?”

“Sure is. Pepper had your things from your apartment brought over by movers. It’s all waiting for you. Gotta say, you don’t own very much.”

"Can I knock off early today and get it sorted out? I never kept much since Jane was always moving us around."

“Depends.”

“On what?,” she raised her eyebrow at him.

“You let us play with Ains while you get to it?”

“You guys are going to spoil her. She already cries for Nat when I tell her no.”

“That just means we’re doing our jobs as aunties and uncles. Come on,Lewis, please?”

“Fine, but tell Rogers no more lollipops. I had to peel the last one out of her hair and it was a pain.”

Tony nodded his head in agreement and tried to hide the guilty look on his face. He had been the one to give the kiddo the sucker that was bigger than her whole face, not Rogers. He had also given Ainsley cotton candy. It was his duty as uncle to load he rup on sugar but it didn’t give him the desired result. The kid seemed to burn through the sugar like Steve and Barnes did. 

Natasha had even commented on the little thing’s appetite and openly asked of the salary Tony paid Darcy would even cover groceries as the child grew. Tony had been insulted and gave Lewis a raise without telling her. 

“Okay, we’ll go get Ainsley from the nursery and you can take her for Uncle Tony time and I’ll unpack the boxes. If there is any problem, you make sure you….”

Tony held a finger to her lips, “We’ll handle it. You do the mom thing so well, Lewis, but trust us, we can handle whatever it is she can throw our way.”

Darcy nodded, “I know. I’m just so used to doing everything alone. I mean, I know it was my choice to keep my baby but sometimes I regret doing it the way I did. Like backwards.”

“You wanna talk about it, Darcy?"

Tony rarely,if ever, used her name so she knew he was sincere. She had only told Pepper the bare minimum and she was sure the woman had confided in Tony. She shouldn’t mix work with her own shit. 

“Not right now, Tony. But thanks for offering.”

“Don’t tell anyone I offered to listen, I have a reputation to maintain.”

“Sure thing, Stark,” Darcy said as she signed Ainsley out. 

“FRIDAY, call a team meeting, tell Rogers to bust out the blocks, we’re gonna party!”

“TONTY!,” the little girl squealed as soon as she saw the man.

“Squirt!” he knelt down and picked her up, “Tell mommy bye, we’re going to play.

“Byeee,” the child waved.

Darcy kissed her cheek and told her to be good for Tony and the guys and went off to unpack. She was going to make use the free time and get shit done. Ainsley was safe as she could be.

* * *

“I don’t see why I gotta be part of this meeting, ain’t on the team,” Bucky ll but whined as Steve drug him down the hall. 

“It’s not that kind of meeting,” was all Steve would tell him. 

Steve had been sneaky as hell and ran a DNA test on a bit of Ainsley’s hair against Bucky’s blood samples they already had. He wasn’t going to open the envelope until he saw how his best friend reacted to the girl and she to him. 

“You know I ain’t comfortable being around people, especially Stark. After what I did to him.”

“Tony forgave you. We wouldn’t even be here if he hadn’t. It’s okay, Buck. Just having a playdate.”

“A what?,” Barnes was once again confused by modern vernacular. 

Steve walked into the common room and saw Tony dancing with Ainsley. Bucky followed him, stopping in his tracks. He saw the little girl and immediately thought of Becca, his sister, when she was a little thing.

“Where’d the kid come from? Rescue her on a mission?”

“No, she belongs to Tony’s assistant. They just moved in and Tony has taken a shine to the kid. Well, we all have. Sweetest little thing,” Steve told him, rushing to take Ainsley from Tony. 

“Ainsley, meet Bucky, my best friend.”

Bucky took her little hand and shook it before Steve sat her down. Steve was right, she was precious. Those dark curls and big blue eyes really reminded him of his sister. Steve opened a cabinet and took out a mesh bag of foam blocks.

“Ainsley smash?”

The little girl once again flexed her muscles and Bucky could have sworn he saw some actual definition under the baby chub. He knelt down to help Steve stack the toys when she toddled over to him and touched his arm. He froze thinking she was scared of him until she squeezed his finger. 

“Shiny! Pwetty. Me have it?”

“Sorry, babydoll, I’m kind of attached to it.”

“I’ll make you one, Ains,” Tony offered. 

“No, want this,” she hugged his arm. 

Steve told her the Tower was finished and she looked to Bucky, “Watch. Ainswey smash, okay?”

“Okay, sugarplum. Smash it.”

She stepped back about three feet and ran across the mat, throwing herself at the tower, “RAWR!”

“Look at that, Steve, she knocked the whole thing down. Strong little thing.”

Natasha laughed out loud at Bucky’s enthusiasm about the child as the girl wrapped herself around his neck. To Natasha it looked right. Perfect. A reunion of sorts. Bucky hugged her back and it was the only time she or Steve had seen him willingly touch anyone. 

Next they moved onto video games. Everyone took a turn dancing with her but in the end only Steve and Bucky had the energy to keep up with her. They let her win and cheered her on so they could move onto something else. 

Tony offered to read her a story but she grabbed the book and ran to Bucky, “Read, daddy?”

“Sweetheart, I’m not your daddy, but I’d be honored to read it to you.”

He picked her up and settled into a big, comfy chair with her in his lap. He read her the story three times and soon they both fell asleep. Tony smiled at the pair and slapped Rogers on the shoulder, “A tiny scrapper falling asleep on the Winter Soldier? Sound familiar?”

“Sure does,” Steve smiled as he looked on at the baby and his best friend. “Most natural thing in the world.”

“Huh, they almost look alike,” Tony noticed for the first time. 

Natasha shook her head, “ Almost? I don’t think so.”

Tony walked over to the couch and took the blanket off of the back, laying it over the pair. He didn’t want Ainsley catching a chill now that she settled down. That might lead her to getting sick and that would lead to him getting dead once Darcy realized it was his fault.

“I just realized something,” Tony said to no one in particular.

Steve was nervous, hoping Tony hadn’t figured out the secret, “What’s that Tony?”

“This is the first time Barnes has actually fallen asleep since you brought him here. And we’re all here in the room.”

“Maybe he feels safe for the first time,” Natasha stated, bluntly.

“Or that kiddo is magic and can soothe the savage beast,” Tony quipped, “Just like her mom.”

Natasha forced herself to keep a straight face. If only Tony knew how right he was. Darcy was something special. That much was true.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You're surrounded by idiots, pumpkin.

Steve carried Ainsley into Darcy’s new apartment, calling out her name since she didn’t answer the door. He found her, hair wet and that soft body wrapped in only a towel, passed out on her bed. 

He smiled at the toddler in his arms, “Your mama sure is a pretty little thing, isn’t she?”

“Ma pwetty,” Ainsley nodded in agreement. 

Natasha’s head popped around the corner, “Tony said if you don’t want to wake Darcy, we can put up a tent in the common room and have a sleepover, like teenage girls.”

“Take Ainsley, I’ll get her covered up and then join you guys,”

The girl practically lept into Natasha’s arms, “Nat-nat, nat!,” she cooed happily,clapping her little hands.

Steve leaned over the bed and lifted Darcy into his arms. Her towel fell away and he swallowed hard as he took in the soft curves, noticing the stretch marks across her hips and abdomen. More proof of what she went through alone, because his best friend was a dumbass. He pulled the blanket back and slid her and her towel under the comforter. 

He stroked her cheek, “So tired but you just keep going, don’t you, Darcy? Sleep, sweetheart, we got this.”

He turned off the lamp on her nightstand and left her sleeping. They could take care of Ainsley for one night. They were the Avengers, afterall. 

Bucky woke up in the chair and jumped to his feet. Where did the kid go? Steve would kick his ass for losing the baby. He was about to alert the team when Natalia walked into the room carrying the little girl on her hip, “Tony, Darcy is out like a light. Looks like we’re having a sleepover.”

“Where was she,”, Bucky asked. 

“Steve took her to her mother but mama bear is fast asleep so, we’re having a slumber party. Darcy needs a break, she’s been raising the kid all alone.’

“Where’s her father? Why isn’t he helpin’ out?,” Bucky wondered. 

Natasha bit her lip, “He doesn’t know.”

“Why not? Kids need their Pa’s or has that changed, too?”

“Darcy slept with a man and conceived. She made the active choice to keep her child. That is all I know.”

Ainsley reached for Bucky, “Daddy!”

“Well, seein’ that you ain’t got one, I guess I can help you out.” He took the little girl from Natasha and danced her around the room. He was singing to her, an old Irish lullaby that he heard Steve’s mom sing to him when he was sick when Steve walked in. 

“You always could sing the ladies to sleep,” Steve said, pointing to the sleeping Ainsley.

“Where should I put her? You know what, nevermind, better take her to her mama. That’s what’s best.”

“No, Buck, we’re letting her Ma sleep. She’s wiped out. Let’s go check out this sleepover thing Stark has planned.”

Bucky nodded and took off toward the tent Tony and Thor were arguing on how to put together. He tucked the little girl’s head into the crook of his neck, “You’re surrounded by idiots, pumpkin.”

Steve watched Bucky trot off with the girl and shook his head. How could he do this to his best friend? Natasha grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and drug him out into the hall.

“When are you going to tell him? You can’t keep Darcy away from him forever, you know they are going to bump into each other. Then they’re both going to hate you.”

“Fine, I’ll tell them in the morning.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rogers did.

“Okay, which one of you has my kid?,” Darcy asked, hands on her hips, “I want to get her for lunch and Nadia said the Avengers picked her up.”

Natasha looked up, an ‘oh shit’ look on her face, “Steve and Barnes picked her up. Seems agent Deekins' kids both have chicken pox and Ainsley was the only one who didn’t suffer in the outbreak. Steve got her since Bryan Deekins threw up on her. You were in the lab and Tony wasn’t letting calls through.”

“Oh. Well, okay then. So, where are they? I’ll need to get her cleaned up.”

“No need, Steve took care of it. He and Barnes sprayed her off in the sink and got her changed into Cap- themed pajamas from the gift shop. Don’t argue, just let him have this. Tony is stewing and it’s lovely. You should probably be expecting lots of Iron Man themed merch soon, too. 

“Oh, god, why? Thanks Ms. Romanov. I’ll just go get her, then.”

“You can call me Natasha, you know. Sit, let’s talk. The fellas can handle her for a few minutes. Ainsley has taken a liking to both of them. I think she’s melted the Winter Soldier.”

“Speaking of, is he safe for her to be around? Not having flashbacks and things of that nature?,” Darcy wondered.

“He’s perfectly safe to be around the baby or he wouldn’t be. I’d lock him away myself. He treats her as if she were his own. Sings his old songs to her while they dance, Darcy, she loves the attention from the fellas.”

“You know, I still haven’t met him. I always just miss him. So, what kind of trouble do you think my child is getting them into?”

“She most likely ‘smashing’ them with foam bricks. Steve made a game of it and she took to it like a champ. She’s very strong for a child.”

“Always has been, thought she was going to “Karate Kid’ my uterus a few times.”

“She doesn’t get sick much, either?”

“Try not at all. Ever.”

“Well, that’s a good thing, though, right?,” Natasha asked.

“Oh, absolutely. No allergies, either. That’s a blessing these days.”

“Hey, Natalia, Steve needs another set of pajamas. Little bit got covered in jelly from her sandwich. I’m going to run down and get another set. Steve said anything but Iron Man,” Bucky said , wiping his leather jacket with a paper towel. 

“Darcy, meet Bucky Barnes. Bucky, this is Darcy, Ainsley’s mom.”

Bucky looked up and nodded at her before his eyes went wide, “Dee? Is that you?”

“J-james?”

Natasha did her best to hide her smirk, “You two know each other?”

Bucky’s eyes danced all over Darcy’s body before he went cold, “Sort of. But it was a long time ago.”

Steve walked in carrying Ainsley, “Might want to wait on those jammies, she wants another sandwich. Kid eats a lot. Oh, hey Darce.”

Darcy’s heart was pounding in her chest. Shit, James. Shit, baby daddy. Shit, did he know. Shit, she had to get out of there. Shit, she couldn’t just run away. Well, shit. 

“Uh, hey, Steve. Thanks for rescuing Ainsley. Sorry Tony turned off the phones.”

Steve sat Ainsley down and looked Darcy over. She did not look so good. She was pale and he could hear her heart beating way too fast and he knew Bucky and Natasha could, too. 

“Dee, you okay?”, Bucky stepped closer to her just as Ainsley grabbed his hand and called him Daddy. Darcy fainted in his arms. 

Steve had a bad feeling in his gut as Bucky turned on him, holding onto the girl, “She is mine, isn’t she? The kid is mine and you weren’t going to tell me?”

Steve opened his mouth to speak but Bucky turned his back on him, “Come on, Ains, let go lay your mama down, okay?”

“Mama sad?,” the child asked. 

“Mama is scared, but it will all be okay,” Natasha picked her up and led Bucky off to Darcy’s room. 

“Why would she be afraid, Natalia? I’d never hurt her,” he looked down at the small woman in his arms.

“You already did,Barnes,” Nat looked between him and the little girl, “And now, Steve has,too.”

“Punk knew the whole time, didn’t he?”

“He suspected as did I, but nothing either of us knew of your activity, could confirm it.”

“It was one night,how was I supposed to know a kid would happen?”

“You’re enhanced,just because you can’t get sick, doesn’t mean your actions won’t have other consequences, Barnes.”

“She said she was on the pill. I thought it was okay.”

Natasha opened Darcy’s door by getting Ainsley to touch the screen with her thumb, “Lay her on the couch, when she comes around, I’ll talk to her. Keep Steve away. He was trying to ask her out and planned to earlier, before the pox fell upon our house.”

“Steve’s trying to scoop my girl?” He laid Darcy down on the plush sofa. 

“She’s not your girl, James. She is her own.”

“She kept my baby, that’s gotta mean something.”

“All we know is she kept her child. She won’t let us talk about it, it brings her pain.”

Darcy sat up and took a deep breath, her head was swimming. She wasn’t hallucinating, it wasn’t a dream. James was really there and he had Ainsley in his lap. Natasha opened a bottle of water and held it to Darcy's lips, "Drink, Mishka."

Ainsley laid her hand on Bucky's cheek, "Mama ok?"

"She will be, tater tot, she will be," he flashed Darcy a smile that had her blushing. 

Tony ran in with the envelope Steve had left behind in the lab. He had a big grin on his face, “So, I found something,” he cleared his throat and slid his glasses down to the tip of his nose,”In the case of two year old Ainsley Rebecca Lewis, James Buchanan Barnes, you ARE the father. I just got a DNA test, turns out that’s 100% your kid.”

Natasha jumped to her feet, “You took a DNA test, Tony?”

“Me? No. Rogers did.”


	6. Chapter 6

Darcy stood and wiped her hands on her jeans, “Wait a fucking minute, you took a DNA sample from my kid and tested it, without my permission or any goddamn justification? Just because you had a hunch? You rotten son of a bitch!,” she turned on Tony, “And you, Maury Povich, can fuck right off, too. You couldn’t tell me in private what he had done, you had to come announce it to the whole goddamn building? In front of Ainsley!”

“Mama mad?”, the little girl shook in fear and buried her face in Bucky’s chest. 

“Dee, tone it back, you’re scaring her,” Bucky whispered. 

“Oh, what do you care, Mr. Fuck and Run?”

“Whoa, whoa, everybody just calm down. Look, Darcy, I only took the test because she looks just like Bucky and his sister, Becca, did when they were kids. I’ve known the guy my whole life and I just had to see if it was possible. I left the envelope on your desk, in the files you were uploading to the cloud, in Bucky’s section, the page with his picture. I didn’t know Tony would be the one to find it.”

Darcy picked Steve up by the throat and tossed him onto the couch which had Natasha jumping to her feet. The small woman should not have been able to do that. Ainsley, on the other hand was clapping her hands and laughing, “Mama trow Steeb, mama smash!”

“Yeah, baby, mama smash, alright.”

Tony’s mouth hung open as he realized what happened. Darcy carrying soldier spawn must have passed some of the soldier sauce on to her. He could tell by the look on Natasha’s face that she was thinking the same thing. 

Darcy, in her fit of rage, sat on Steve’s chest and was about to punch him in the face but she caught sight of her daughter and realized she didn’t want to teach her to hit people. So instead she leaned down and whispered in his ear, “I fucking hate you right now, I hope you’re happy with being right, even if you being right has fucked up my whole life, again.”

She climbed off of him and picked her daughter up before leaving the room. She turned on Tony, “I’m packing my shit and leaving here. I quit.”

Pepper ran through the double doors and stopped her, “You can’t leave. Not now. Someone leaked this whole incident to a server. Darcy, it’s run by HYDRA, they know about Ainsley being James’s daughter. 

“No, no. That did not happen. You just want me to stay here and get treated like a whore by the good Captain. They don’t know.”

“Miss Lewis, someone has bugs set up in the building. My scanners just detected them a few minutes ago,” Tony’s AI informed her, “I’m searching the security footage for the culprit. Until we find out who is behind this, I suggest you and young Ainsley stay in your apartment.”

“I’ll stay with them,” Bucky volunteered. 

“That’s very good, James. Tony see what you can find on your end. Rogers, Romanoff, be ready if something does happen. You brought this on, you can deal with the dirty work,” Pepper said as she stepped into the elevator, her tone brooking no arguments. 

Bucky took Ainsley from Darcy and put his hand on the small of her back, “Come on, let’s get you two home. Ain’t letting nothing happen to you no matter how much you hate me right now.”

Truth was, she didn’t hate him. She had loved him since that night. Which was stupid,since he got what he wanted and left. After he spent the night telling her she was his princess, his babydoll, everything she wanted to be to someone.

“Mama smash Steeb, so fun.”

“Yeah, Mama smashed Stevie pretty good. Think I better stay on Mama’s good side, huh?”

Ainsley gave him a mischievous grin, “Mama smash Daddy, too.”

“Did you tell her to call you that? Daddy?,” Darcy was curious.

“I didn’t tell her to call me anything, she said it as soon as I met her. Thought she was just looking for a father figure or something,” Bucky said, eyes cast to the floor. He didn’t want his baby calling anyone else that. Not even Steve. 

Darcy opened her door and let them in, “That’s so weird. Like she knew or something.”

“Maybe she did. First day or so, she was happy to slap Steve around but as soon as I met her, she was on me and wouldn’t let go. Fell asleep with her in Stark’s big chair. First time I fell asleep on my own since I got here.”

“How long have you been here, anyway. I never saw you before this shit.”

“A few months. Seemed like Steve and Nat were keeping me away from you.”

“I thought that, too,” Darcy turned on cartoons for Ainsley and gave the girl a string cheese.

“Darcy, I’m sorry. So sorry I left but they were hot on my trail and I didn’t want them to get you, to hurt you. I had to go.”

“It’s cool. I get it. Gotta say, you talk a good game, Barnes. I almost believed you when you said I was yours and always would be. How you waited a lifetime to find me, how I was…,” she didn’t finish what she was saying as she broke down crying. 

Bucky pulled her into his arms and kissed her forehead,” The most special girl in the whole fucking world. I remember, sweetheart, I remember all of it. They wiped me after they got me back, but the first memory to resurface was of you. The girl who loved on me so freely, without fear. The sweet thing who’s arms felt like going home”

She looked into his eyes and kissed his chin, “You hurt me so much when you left me. I get why you did it, though. But, what now?”

“I’d ask you for a second chance but I don’t know if I’m worthy of it. But I will ask you this,let me be a father to my baby? Not Steve, not Tony. Me. Give me a chance?”

Darcy sniffled and nodded her head, “Okay. Now, your first duty as daddy is to clean the jelly off of your child and change her pull-up.”

“You’re a cold woman, Darcy Lewis. I can smell that bomb in her training pants.”

“Welcome to fatherhood, it’s not all lollipops and rainbows.”

Ainsley walked over and pushed their heads together, "Now kiss."


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Son of a Bitch

“I thought the mission was to gather intel on Stark and his company. Why are you so excited about a kid?.” Sharon Carter asked as she pulled Maria Hill into an unoccupied hallway.

“Did you not hear the same thing I did? That kid belongs to Barnes. That kid doesn’t get sick, eats her weight in food but doesn’t gain an ounce. She knocked Rogers on his ass yesterday and she’s just a baby. Imagine the possibilities. She could be trained to be the most efficient agent there ever was.”

Sharon shook her head, “I don’t think either Lewis or Barnes would go for that.”

Maria scoffed, “Who said we were asking them?”

Sharon huffed, blowing hair out of her face, “This is going to end badly.”

“Or it could go perfectly and we will be rewarded handsomely.”

  
  


Natasha cocked her head and looked at Steve, “I hate to say I told you so.”

“Yeah, yeah. I know. I thought they were on our side. I should have seen it.”

“We don’t have time for your guilt, what are we going to do to stop them? We can’t let them get their hands on Ainsley.”

“Arrest them?”

“Rogers, you’re such a basic bitch. We have to use stealth and cunning. If we blow this, Ainsley could end up in a red room equivalent, or worse.”

“But wouldn’t telling Bucky and Darcy be the best thing?”

“Right, and have her and the kid skip out and Barnes go berserk and end up right back in their hands.”

“Well...well...well shit! What do we do?”

“Cunning and stealth. We keep eyes on those 2 at all times. Sharon may be a Carter but she’s a foe now, you have to forget about her. Hill is...well, leave her to me. I need you to trust me.”

“I do. I do. I’m worried about Ainsley and Darcy, too.”

“You care for her, don’t you?”

“Of course I care for Ainsley. She’s the sweetest kid.”

“Who said I was talking about the child?” Natasha wiggled her brow at him, “Come on, let’s find Tony and talk to him somewhere with not so many ears.”

  
  
  


Bucky kissed her. Gently, without any pressure behind it. He told himself it was to appease his little girl but his lips on Darcy’s felt like coming home again. He pulled away and smiled at her when he saw her glazed eyes, 

It took her a moment to regain her composure as Ainsley clapped her hands and jumped up and down, “Well, that happened.”

Bucky chuckled, “I guess it did. So, what do you ladies want to do since we’re stuck in here?”

Darcy cocked her head to the side, “Movie?”

“Find one while I get snacks. Popcorn?”

“Of course, cabinet by the fridge. Okay, kiddo, what do you want to watch?”

“Oz, oz, oz!”

“Wizard of Oz?” Darcy asked.

“Yeps.”

“Okay, sit your booty down and I’ll get it ready to play. Daddy will have the snacks soon.”

Bucky’s head turned whip-fast as she said that and he couldn’t hide the smile that broke out across his face. He liked the sound of that, “Popcorn, sodas, might even have a pack of, what are those things called that Natalia said you loved so much?”

“Twizz?”, Ainsley ran and sat on his foot, wrapping her arms around his leg, “Twizz? Pwease?”

“Go sit your booty down, like your Ma said. If you’re good, I might give you some, if your Ma says it’s alright.”

Ainsley gave him her own face of disappointment and walked back to the living room, giving Darcy the evil eye, “Twizz?”

Darcy sat down the remote and pulled the baby into her lap, “Tell ya what,” she whispered in an almost conspiratorial tone, “You go get me your Nat-Nat jammies, and when you come back, I’ll make your pops give you one. Yeah?”

“Pops give?”

DArcy turned her head and looked at Bucky, “He might. But we won’t know until you go get those jammies.”

Ainsley took off running down the hall with a battle cry, “Naaaaat-Naaaaat.”

Bucky shook his head and walked over to Darcy, setting down the popcorn bowl and the 3 drinks. Colas for him and Darcy, Caffeine-free strawberry for the kid, “How do you plan to weasel my red twists out of my hands?”

“One, you better hope it’s the real thing or she may single-handedly hand you your own ass, two, I think I can manage.”

As he sat down next to her, he could see mischief in her eyes. She waited until he sat back and then she climbed on his lap, straddling his legs. Her hand found its way into his hair and she tugged his head back, running her tongue over his bottom lip. He hissed, almost lost in her. He didn’t notice her other hand dipping into the pocket of his jacket and stealing his ever so secret package of candy, “Ha, victory is mine!” she rolled off of him and onto the couch.

“Darce! All you had to do was ask.”

Darcy scoffed, “Where’s the fun in that?”

“I’ll show you fun.” he leaned over until his top half was hovering over hers. He winked at her and began to tickle the hell out of her.

“Mama laugh?”, the girl asked as she carried in her pajamas. 

“Yes she is, little bug”, Bucky answered as he continued his tickle attacks. 

“Okay,” Ainsley said as she yanked the candy package from Darcy’s hand, “Mine.”

“Hey! Barnes, your daughter is a dirty candynapper. Avenge me!”

“Nah, sweetheart, we were plotting against you the whole time.”

Ainsley shook her head and grinned, using her free hand to lift the hem of Darcy’s shirt, “Make blow?”

Bucky warily eyed the woman and the child before shrugging and blowing on Darcy’s exposed tummy. Darcy bucked underneath him, trying to push him away but when he moved, Ainsley took his place, spitting more than blowing.

“Eww, ewww, dirty traitors.”

Bucky looked at the screen with the cued up movie and back down at Darcy. He wiggled his fingers and made a very Wicked Witch of the West face at his girls, “I’ll get you, my pretty.”

Darcy was feeling her inner Dean Winchester, “Son of a bitch!”


End file.
